The Sabbath

1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.2O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.3Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
teach me your paths.5Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.

6Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.7Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Here we have David’s professions of desire towards God and dependence on him. He often begins his psalms with such professions, not to move God, but to move himself, and to engage himself to answer these professions.

He professes his desire towards God. … Note, In worshipping God we must lift up our souls to him. … With a holy contempt of the world and the things of it, by a fixed thought and active faith, we must set God before us, and let out our desires towards him as the fountain of happiness.

He professes his dependence upon God and begs for this benefit and comfort of that dependence. … What men put a confidence in is either their jot or their shame, according as it proves. … The weaker the temptation is by which men are drawn to sin the stronger the corruption is by which they are driven to it. Those are the worst transgressors that sin for sinning-sake.

He begs directions from God in the way of his duty. … If God save us, he will teach us and lead us. He that gives salvation will give instruction. … If we sincerely desire to know our duty, with a resolution to do it, we need not question but that God will direct us in it.

He appeals to God’s infinite mercy, and casts himself up that, not pretending to any merit of his own.

He is in a special manner earnest for the pardon of his sins. … Note, Our youthful faults and follies should be matter of our repentance and humiliation long after, because time does not wear out the guilt of sin.